Austrian reform-minded priest to embark on US tour

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by Kate Simmons | July 1, 2013

Fr. Helmut Schüller, a leader in Austria's call for church reform, will bring his message to the United States this summer in his first American speaking tour.

Sponsored by 12 Catholic organizations, Schüller will begin his "Catholic Tipping Point" tour July 16 in New York and visit 15 cities coast to coast.

Schüller received international attention last year when, along with more than 400 priests and deacons, his call for church reform was documented in an "Appeal to Disobedience," published by the Austrian Priests' Initiative last June.

Schüller founded the Austrian Priests' Initiative, a group committed to open discussions about the issues and problems within the Catholic church, in 2006.

http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/austrian-reform-minded-priest-embark-us-tour

[UrbScotty]

1. Update: Fr. Helmut Schüller kicks off 'Catholic Tipping Point' tour

In 2006, Schüller and a group of fellow clergy members founded the Austrian Priests' Initiative as a way to go public with their concerns about the shrinking priesthood, the merging of parishes and the inordinate pressures being placed on the dwindling number of parish priests.

Since the launching of the "Call to Disobedience," Schüller has been clear that the Austrian Priests' Initiative does not believe in disobedience for the sake of contradiction. Rather, they promote a "graduated obedience," first to God, then to their consciences and, finally, to church order.

At least 425 of Austria's 3,800 priests have endorsed the Austrian Priests' Initiative's call, and the organization estimates that 70 percent of Austrian Catholics agree with their platform.

"Because as priests, we are members of the hierarchy, the hierarchy became nervous," Schüller told the crowd. But he insists the movement "was initiated out of deep sorrow for the future of parish communities."

http://ncronline.org/blogs/grace-margins/fr-helmut-sch-ller-kicks-catholic-tipping-point-tour

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2. The Unitarians took him in.

http://www.wbur.org/2013/07/18/helmut-schuller-reformist-priest